#11: How Your Environment Makes You

GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM!

It’s 1971 and the U.S. are starting to exit from Vietnam. The controversial war has divided a nation and the hornet’s nest is about to be stirred further: news is being relayed that between 15-20% of U.S. servicemen are addicted to heroin. 

The opiate, readily available in Vietnam has spread like wildfire. Richard Nixon, the president, quickly creates a taskforce with the aim of rehabilitating the men. However, there is another, more clandestine objective: to monitor what happens to the addicts on their return.

He had every right to be worried. Prevailing thought viewed heroin addiction as practically inescapable. At the time, 90% of addicts relapsed once released back into the community. The impending economic and societal fallout of 10s of thousands of servicemen returning to families as addicts, was frightening.

Then a curious thing happened. Lee Robins the lead researcher, found that only 5% of addicted soldiers relapsed on their return to American soil. The vast majority never touched the drug again. This upended all predictions and radically altered how addiction and behavioural change were viewed by the medical community.

It became clear that environmental cues had a monumental effect on behaviour. Removed from the geography, routines and people associated with the drug and reintegrated in an environment with no such cues, the cravings were practically eliminated.

James Clear, in his fantastic book ‘Atomic Habits’ explains the science behind this. Habits are essentially an energy saving device for the brain. A situational cue will trigger a craving, which leads to a response and ultimately a potential reward. Over time, the brain learns which behaviours lead to chemical rewards and resulting habits are formed.

Therefore, rather than trying to change habits through willpower or discipline alone, we will likely fare better by instead sculpting our environment to promote preferred habits and reduce negative ones. Clear states. ‘A negative environment is like gravity for your habits.’

We want to design our environment to make good behaviours: obvious, easy and attractive. Whereas unwanted behaviours are made invisible, difficult and unattractive.

WISDOM 💎

“I have never seen a person consistently stick to positive habits in a negative environment.”

James Clear

Tip 1 - A SMART PLAY ✅

Look at joining groups where your desired behaviour is the norm. Which people or groups represent your desired behaviour in a certain area?

‘You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.’

Jim Rohn

Tip 2 - AVOID 🚩

Trying to change it all at once – start small with 1 or 2 changes. Also be patient – it may take several attempts before you find an environment that genuinely promotes your desired behaviours.

Tip 3 - ACTION 💪

What one habit would you like to introduce? How can you change your environment to make this more obvious, easy or attractive? For example, if you want to read before bed, leave a book on your pillow. If you want to eat healthier, can you prep nutritious food for the week ahead, so it’s easier to grab?

'You don’t rise to the level of your goals – you fall to the level of your habits.'

James Clear

P.S. Interesting fact: Heroin was originally developed in Germany as cough medicine and to wean people off morphine. Named 'Heroisch' which translates as powerful... they got that part right at least!